Supervisors OK day care code change, sculpture design

The Carson City Board of Supervisors on Thursday unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that amends Carson City Municipal Code to allow child care facilities as a conditional use in the residential office (RO) zoning district.

If adopted on a second reading in February, the ordinance would allow the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada to convert a former office on Mountain Street into a day care center serving about 100 children ages 5 and younger.

Child care facilities are currently allowed in the RO zoning district accessory to residential use. The code change, a revision to CCMC 18.04.110, would mean a child care facility could be set up an office or other building in the zoning district; it would still be a conditional use requiring a special use permit (SUP).

In December, the Carson City Planning Commission recommended approval of the code change and also approved a SUP for the proposed facility at 2805 Mountain St., contingent on the code change being passed.

Brett Zunino, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, told the Appeal the new facility would help fill a child care deficit in the community. Earlier this month, the nonprofit celebrated the opening of the first “Smart Start” day care off Russell Way. That program can serve around 40 kids. The new location on Mountain Street would serve a little more than 100 kids and employ more than 20 people, Zunino said.

The new program would cost parents around $192 a week. Zunino calculated there are about 2,900 kids aged 5 or younger in Carson but only 19 day cares averaging 60 spots each. That means 1,760 kids could be eligible for day care but don’t have available spots, he said.

According to a 2023 report prepared by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation, the demand for child care in Nevada is high “with over 65 percent of all children coming from households where both parents work.”

“Seventy-four percent of children ages 0-5 do not have access to licensed child care,” the report said.

The report also states: “The GWDB (Governor’s Workforce Development Board) is concerned that child care issues are impacting Nevada’s labor force participation rate and serving as a barrier for parents to enter or reenter the workforce.”

Zunino said the Boys and Girls Clubs is also pursuing a Douglas County location that could add another 60 day care spots. Regarding the new Carson location, he said the group is in escrow and has until June 28 to close. The Boys and Girls Club plans to raise about $1.2 million for acquisition of the building and is seeking grants for an estimated $1.5-3 million remodel entailing a commercial kitchen and playground.

“We can’t do this without the community,” Zunino said. “It will all work if our community steps up.”

He expects the Carson location to open in January 2025. Those interested in donating can contact Zunino at brettz@bgcwn.org

In other action:

• Supervisors approved the final design of artist Karen Yank’s “Sense of Place” sculpture planned for the roundabout at South Carson and South Stewart streets.

Yank adjusted the design after receiving feedback during a public meeting in December during which supervisors voted 3-2 to authorize an artist contract.

“I took all of those (comments) to heart and went back and revised the piece to meet pretty much everyone’s concerns,” Yank said Thursday via video. “And I feel like in a collaborative effort like that, working together, the piece is even stronger, and it really, truly represents Carson City.”

Members of the public submitted dozens of letters regarding the item — many opposed but several in support. Concerns ranged from the $200,000 budget (mix of redevelopment funds and lodging tax revenue) to safety.

Public Works Director Darren Schulz said Thursday the roundabout is designed for speeds of 15 to 20 mph, and art in the middle of the roundabout would pose no hazard.

Carson resident Rose Krueger was not convinced, arguing the artwork could be more safely installed on an arch instead.

“Reality is people are not generally going to be entering that roundabout at 15 mph regardless of what’s posted,” she said. “We all know the reality. I’ve seen some crazy entries and exits already. That piece of art will be, sooner or later, a danger.”

Supervisor Lisa Schuette said the agenda item was for the final design, not on approval of the sculpture or contract as was the case at the December meeting.

“In terms of the design, we spoke at length regarding really what sense of place means, sense of place for Carson City, sense of place to reflect this area,” she said, praising the artist’s revision to the sculpture’s symbolic elements including changing the central tree to a cottonwood.

Supervisor Maurice White was the lone vote against the final design, saying the project has been a process “but at no time should we be, nor are we now, in a position where we can’t step back and say, ‘You know what, there is simply something more important to do.’”

• Michael Salogga, department business manager for the Carson City Senior Center, was recognized as the city’s employee of the quarter and given a giant $200 check.

Senior Center Executive Director Courtney Warner nominated Salogga for the honor.

“During the senior lunch program at the Carson City Senior Center (Aug. 18), a senior was eating lunch and had a piece of food lodge in his throat, obstructing his airway,” reads the nomination form.

Salogga performed the Heimlich, dislodged the food and was credited with saving the man’s life.

“The Heimlich maneuver is a fairly easy maneuver to do except when it is actually needed,” Carson City Fire Chief Sean Slamon told Salogga. “When a citizen is choking, it is a very stressful moment, and you feel like a lot could go wrong. Under your calm and previous training, you were able to save a life, and we want to say thank you for that.”

Salogga encouraged those in attendance to keep pursuing CPR and first aid training.